Timothy Dalton became the fourth actor to portray James Bond... Having replaced Roger Moore, Dalton's appearance on the scene inspired a sharp reversal of policy in the approach to Bond's films
Moore's comfort with witty lines, light comedic situations, and fantasy plots was replaced by a hard-edged reality and some violent episodes that were better suited to Dalton's more realistic approach to the character of 007
Dalton has the perfect Bond qualities He's good looking, athletic, commanding He's believable as a British secret agent with a license to kill, who can bed any lady he wants Dalton's debut in "The Living Daylights" is astonishing... His first close-up on the Rock of Gibraltar is riveting as he spies the death of a fellow agent His arrival via parachute onto the yacht of a playgirl is equally perfect There is no hesitation in his performance
But unfortunately, the problem with "The Living Daylights" is its lack of strong villains General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) is too nice to be dangerous (he hugs practically everyone he meets), and Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) is denied enough screen time to develop any true malice He's a gunrunner who likes to play with army toys
The only truly villainous character in the film is Necros, played effectively by Andreas Wisniewski But he's not on-screen long enough to make any true impact, and even he has his sympathetic moments The plot is another throwaway because just as you're starting to figure out why Koskov and Whitaker are partners, the plot switches to a big drug deal in Afghanistan...
Maryam D'Abo is the perfect matean elegant, well-mannered, soulful woman dedicated to her musical craft, who is drawn into the adventure of a lifetime...
Romance, a key element missing from many of the Roger Moore James Bond movies, is present in "The Living Daylights" in large doses as a definite on-screen chemistry develops between Bond and Milovy It's helped, of course, by the fact that both characters spend a great deal of time together on-screen Not since "Thunderball," "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," and "The Spy Who Loved Me" has Bond been given the special time to develop a believable relationship with a woman
Desmond LLewellyn, who hadn't missed a Bond film since "Live and Let Die," returned as Q, this time supplying Bond with an updated Aston Martin V8 with 'optional extras fitted.'
Caroline Bliss, an actress who had come to prominence playing Lady Diana Spencer in ABC's 1982 drama "Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story," stepped into Lois Maxwell's shoes as a younger, doe-eyed Miss Moneypenny...
Dalton has the perfect Bond qualities He's good looking, athletic, commanding He's believable as a British secret agent with a license to kill, who can bed any lady he wants Dalton's debut in "The Living Daylights" is astonishing... His first close-up on the Rock of Gibraltar is riveting as he spies the death of a fellow agent His arrival via parachute onto the yacht of a playgirl is equally perfect There is no hesitation in his performance
But unfortunately, the problem with "The Living Daylights" is its lack of strong villains General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) is too nice to be dangerous (he hugs practically everyone he meets), and Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) is denied enough screen time to develop any true malice He's a gunrunner who likes to play with army toys
The only truly villainous character in the film is Necros, played effectively by Andreas Wisniewski But he's not on-screen long enough to make any true impact, and even he has his sympathetic moments The plot is another throwaway because just as you're starting to figure out why Koskov and Whitaker are partners, the plot switches to a big drug deal in Afghanistan...
Maryam D'Abo is the perfect matean elegant, well-mannered, soulful woman dedicated to her musical craft, who is drawn into the adventure of a lifetime...
Romance, a key element missing from many of the Roger Moore James Bond movies, is present in "The Living Daylights" in large doses as a definite on-screen chemistry develops between Bond and Milovy It's helped, of course, by the fact that both characters spend a great deal of time together on-screen Not since "Thunderball," "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," and "The Spy Who Loved Me" has Bond been given the special time to develop a believable relationship with a woman
Desmond LLewellyn, who hadn't missed a Bond film since "Live and Let Die," returned as Q, this time supplying Bond with an updated Aston Martin V8 with 'optional extras fitted.'
Caroline Bliss, an actress who had come to prominence playing Lady Diana Spencer in ABC's 1982 drama "Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story," stepped into Lois Maxwell's shoes as a younger, doe-eyed Miss Moneypenny...